JEZIDES, among the Mahometans; a term of similar import with heretics among Christians.
The Jezides are a numerous sect inhabiting Turkey and
50
Desperate
end of the
garrison of
Massada.
and Persia, so called from their head Jezi-
des, an Arabian prince, who slew the sons of Ali, Mahomet's fa-
ther in law; for which reason he is reckoned a parricide,
and his followers heretics. There are about 20,000 Jezi-
des in Turkey and Persia; who are of
two sorts, black and white. The white are clad like
Turks; and distinguished only by their shirts, which
are not slit at the neck like those of others, but have
only a round hole to thrust their heads through. This
is in memory of a golden ring, or circle of light, which
descended from heaven upon the neck of their chief,
the head of their religion, after his undergoing a fast
of forty days. The black Jezi-
des, though married,
are the monks or religious of the order; and these are
called Fakirs.
The Turks exact excessive taxes from the Jezi-
des, who hate the Turks as their mortal enemies; and when,
in their wrath, they curse any creature, they call it
mussulman; but they are great lovers of the Christians,
being more fond of Jesus Christ than of Mahomet, and
are never circumcised but when they are forced to it.
They are extremely ignorant, and believe both the
bible and the Koran without reading either of them;
they make vows and pilgrimages, but have no places of
religious worship.
All the adoration they pay to God consists of some
songs in honour of Jesus Christ, the virgin, Moses,
and sometimes Mahomet; and it is a principal point
of their religion never to speak ill of the devil, lest he
should resent the injury, if ever he should come to be in
favour with God again, which they think possible;
whenever they speak of him, they call him the angel
Peacock. They bury their dead in the first place they
come at, rejoicing as at a festival, and celebrating the
entry of the deceased into heaven. They go in com-
panies like the Arabians, and change their habitations
every 15 days. When they get wine, they drink it
to excess; and it is said, that they sometimes do this
with a religious purpose, calling it the blood of Christ.
They buy their wives; and the market-price is 200
crowns for all women, handsome or not, without dis-
tinction.